Sofia (София) Overview

Far from the concrete Soviet grayscape you might expect, Sofia (pop. 1,370,000) is a city of magnificent domed cathedrals, tranquil parks, and grand old buildings, set against the backdrop of Mt. Vitosha. Although the city lacks the old-world feel of Prague or Vienna, it is remarkably diverse. Skateboarders listen to American rock music in front of the Soviet Army monument, while worshippers pass each other near the central square on their way to a synagogue, mosque, or cathedral. Sofia is a manifestation of the Bulgarian mentality, both aware of its complex past, and moving quickly, if a bit unsurely, to join the West.

• Flights: Airport Sofia ( SOF. International info ☎02 937 2211; www.sofia-airport.bg) is 10 km east of the city center. Bus #84 is to the right exiting international arrivals. If exiting from terminal 2, catch bus #284. Tickets 0.70lv from the kiosk by the bus stop, or .80 lv from the bus driver. The bus runs from the airport to Eagle Bridge (Орлов Мост; Orlov Most), near Sofia University. If you take a taxi, be sure to go with OK Supertrans (☎02 973 2121); others will overcharge you. Fare should run about 10lv to the center.
• Trains: Tsentralna Gara (Централна Гара; Central Train Station), Knyaginya Mariya Luiza (Княгиня Мария Луиза; ☎02 931 1111), a 1.6km walk north from pl. Sveta Nedelya past the department store TSUM (ЦУМ) and the mosque. Trams #1 and 7 run between pl. Sveta Nedelya and the station; #9 and 12 head down Khristo Botev (Христщ Бщтув) and bul. Vitosha (Витоша). Trains to: Plovdiv (2-3hr, 14 per day, 7.10lv), Varna (7.5-9hr, 7 per day, 25.20lv), and Veliko Turnovo (5-6hr, 8 per day, 16.30lv). International tickets available at the Rila Travel Agency. There is a branch at Gurko 5 (Гурко), off pl. Sveta Nedelya (☎02 987 0777; open M-Sa 7am-630pm). Destinations offered include: Bucharest, ROM (2 per day, 40lv); Budapest, HUN via Bucharest (1 per day, 105lv; sleeper car only); İ stanbul, TUR (1 per day, 60lv; sleeping car only); Thessaloniki, GCE (2 per day, 30lv).
• Buses: Private buses leave from either the Central Bus Station (Централна Автоара; Tsentralna Avtogara; ☎090 021 000; www.centralnaavtogara.bg); Maria Luiza 100 (Мария Луиза), down the street from the train station; or the parking lot across from the train station, the Trafik-Market (☎02 981 2979). Though pricier than trains, private buses are faster and more comfortable. International bus companies are across the train station entrance; domestic buses are more likely to leave from the bus station.
• Public Transportation: Trams, trolleys, and buses cost 0.70lv per ride, 6lv for 10 rides, day pass 3lv, or 37lv for a month pass. Buy tickets from the driver (single rides only; 0.10lv extra) or at kiosks with “билети” (bileti) signs in the window; exact change only. Validate in the machines on board to avoid a 5lv fine. If you put your backpack on a seat, you may be required to buy a 2nd ticket, or pay a 7lv fine for an “unticketed passenger.” This policy is observed much more stringently on routes to and from the airport. All transportation runs daily 5:00-11:30pm; after 9pm, service becomes less frequent.
• Taxis: Some travelers relate horror stories about local taxi companies, but OK Supertrans (ОК Съпертранс; ☎02 973 2121) remains a reliable option. Always make sure the company’s name and phone number are on the side of the car. Many drivers don’t speak English, so learn to pronounce Bulgarian names for places and directions.0.50-0.60lv per km; slightly more expensive 10pm-6am.

Orientation And Practical Information

Sv. Nedelya Church is the locus of the city center, ploshtad Sveta Nedelya (Света Неделя). Bulevard Knyaginya Mariya Luiza (Княгиня Мария Луиза) connects pl. Sveta Nedelya to the train station. Trams #1 and 7 run from the train station through pl. Sveta Nedelya to bul. Vitosha (Витоша), one of the main thoroughfares, full of bars, restaurants, and Western clothing stores. Bul. Vitosha links pl. Sveta Nedelya to ploshtad Bulgaria and the concrete Natsionalen Dvorets na Kulturata, which serves as a large marketplace (Национален Дворец на Културата; NDK, National Palace of Culture). Historic bulevard Tsar Osvoboditel (Цар Освободител; Tsar the Liberator) runs by the Presidency building on the north, starting at ploshtad Nezavisimost (Незавbcbмост). Bul. Tsar Osvoboditel leads to the former Royal Palace, the Parliament building, and Sofia University. The free Insider’s Guide and In Your Pocket Sofia are indispensable. The Program (Програмата; Programata; www.programata.bg) is a weekly city guide. The print version is in Bulgarian; look online for the English version.

• Tourist Office: Tourist Information Center, pl. Sveta Nedelya 1 (☎02 933 5826; www.bulgariatravel.org), next to Happy Bar and Grill. The English-speaking staff answers questions about Sofia and Bulgaria and hand out free maps and English-language publications about Sofia. Open M-F 9am-6pm.
• Embassies: Australia, Trakiya 37 (Тракия; ☎02 946 1334; email austcon@mail.orbitel.bg). Consulate only. Canada, Moskovska 9 (Московска; ☎02 969 9710; consular@canada-bg.org). UK, Moskovska 9 (☎02 933 9222; www.british-embassy.bg). Open M-Th 9am-noon and 2-4pm, F 9am-noon. Ireland, Bacho Kiro 26-28 (Бао Киро; ☎02 985 3425; info@embassyofireland.org). Citizens of New Zealand should contact the UK embassy. US, Kozyak 16 (Козяк; ☎02937 5100; www.usembassy.bg). Open M-F 9am-noon, 2-4pm.
• Medical Services: State-owned hospitals offer free 24hr. emergency aid to all; note that all staff may not speak English. Pirogiv Hospital, bul. Totieben 21, emergency ☎150, is open 24 hours. For dog bites or emergency tetanus shots (10lv), go to First City Hospital (Първа Градска Болница; Purva Gradska Bolnitsa), bul. Patriarkh Evtimiy 37 (Патриарх Евтимий; ☎02 988 3631).
• Telephones: Telephone Center, General Gurko 4 (Гурко; ☎02 980 1010). Go right out of the post office on Vasil Levski (Васил Левски) and then left on Gurko. Local calls 0.09lv, international calls from 0.36lv per min. Internet 0.80lv per hr., 1.40lv per 2hr., 2lv per 3hr. Fastest connections in town.
• Internet: Stargate, Pozitano 20 (Позитано), near Hostel Sofia. 1.20lv per hr. Open 24hr. Cash Only. Also at Telephone Center (see above).
• Post Office: General Gurko 6 (Гурко; ☎02 949 6446; www.bgpost.bg). Poste Restante at window #12 in the 2nd hall; look for the signs in English. Money transfers at window #4 in the 1st hall. Open M-Sa 7am-8:30pm, Su 8am-1pm. Postal Code: 1000.

Accommodations

Hotels are rarely worth the exorbitant prices; hostels or private rooms are a much better option for a budget traveler.

• Hostel Mostel, Makedonia Blvd 2 (Бул. Македония 2), occupies a past guesthouse meant for travelers on their way to Greece. Keeps a mediterranean feel; the gigantic common space downstairs draws travelers looking for a place to relax and mingle in the city. (☎0889 22 32 96; www.hostelmostel.com. Breakfast and dinner included. Free Internet and Wi-Fi. Reception 24hr. Kitchen. 6-8 bed dorms 20-26lv. Cash only).
• Hostel Sofia, Pozitano 16 (Позитано), has a great location and a homey feel. Though sociable, it’s still quieter than some of the city’s other, more party-oriented lodgings. From pl. Sv. Nedelya, walk down bul. Vitosha and turn right on Pozitano. (☎989 8582; www.hostelsofia.com. Common room with TV and DVD. Breakfast included. Laundry 5lv. Free Internet. Reception 24hr. 8-11 bed dorms 20lv for 1st and 2nd nights, 18lv thereafter. 10% discount per night Nov.-May. Cash only.)
• Art-Hostel, Angel Kunchev 21A (Ангел Кънев), draws an international crowd that stays up late at the bar and garden. From pl. Sv. Nedelya, walk down Vitosha and turn left on William Gladstone. Walk 2 blocks and turn right on Angel Kunchev. (☎987 0545; www.art-hostel.com. Kitchen, bar, and tea room. Breakfast included. Laundry 5lv. Free Internet. Reception 24hr. 10-bed dorms €10. Singles €26; doubles €36. Cash only.)

Food

Cheap meals are a dime a dozen in Sofia. Across bul. Mariya Luiza from the TSUM shopping mall are two markets, the Women’s Bazaar, and Central Hall.

• Divaka, ul. William Gladstone 54, serves huge salads and sizzling veggie and meat dishes. Facing McDonald’s in pl. Slaveikov, take the left side-street and continue right at the fork. Don’t be afraid to share a table with strangers. (☎02 989 9543. English menu available. Beer 1.10lv. Entrees 6-12lv. Open 24hr. Cash only.)
• The Veggie Home, 10 Patriarch Evtimii, serves delectable vegetarian food, like falafels, specialty salads, and more, at fantastic prices in a cosy atmosphere. Delivery available as well. (☎02 981 56 77; entrees 4-12 lv; open daily 11am-midnight).
• Pri Yafata, ul. Solunska 28, serves traditional Bulgarian fare in a setting meant to take you back to the 19th century. The staff is friendly at this local fave. (☎02 980 17 27, entrees 6-12 lv. Free Wi-Fi. Open daily 10am-midnight, MC/V.)

Sights

 Boyana Church (Боянска Църква; Boyanska Tsurkva) . In the woods of the Boyana suburb, this UNESCO World Heritage site boasts some of the most striking religious artwork in the country. The tiny red-brick church houses two layers of religious murals painted by unknown medieval masters. The church is in a little park with such a striking sense of tranquility that Queen Eleanor broke royal protocol and asked to be buried on the grounds. (☎02 959 0939; www.boyanachurch.org. Ul Boyansko ezero 1-3, ул. Боянско езеро. Take bus #64 from Khladilnika (Хладилника), minibus #21, or a taxi from the center for 4-5lv. Open daily Nov.-Mar. 9am-5pm; Apr.-Oct. 9:30am-5:30pm; free M after 3pm. 10lv, students 5lv. Tour in English 5lv. English pamphlet 5lv. Combined ticket with the National History Museum 12lv. )

 National History Museum. The fortress-like Natural History Museum (Национален Историески Музей; Natsionalen Istoricheski Muzey) is £communist architecture at its most imposing. The museum traces the evolution of Bulgarian culture from prehistoric times to the present; a period which spans roughly eight millennia. ( Residence Boyana, Palace 1. Take minibus #21, trolley #2, or bus #63 or 111 from the center, or tram #5 from Makedonya to Boyana. Even then, it’s about a 15min. walk; it’s best to hire a taxi, 5lv. ☎02 955 76 04; www.historymuseum.org. Open daily Nov.-Mar. 9am-5:30pm, Apr.-Oct. 9:30am-5:30pm. 10lv, students 5lv. Combined ticket with Boyana Church 12lv. English language tours 20lv, book in advance. Cash only.)

Churches. The huge gold- and green-domed Byzantine-style St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Св. Александър Невски; Sv. Aleksandur Nevski), with architecture inspired by ancient Byzantium, dominates the Sofia skyline. It is the grandest edifice in all of Sofia, and houses over 400 frescoes by Russian and Bulgarian artists, illuminated only by candlelight. In a separate entrance to the left of the church, the crypt contains the National Art Gallery’s spectacular array of painted icons and religious artifacts. (In the center of pl. Aleksandur Nevski. English-language captions. Open daily 7am-7pm; crypt open Tu-Su 10am-6pm. Daily Liturgy 5pm, mass Sun 9:30am. Cathedral free. Crypt 4lv, students 2lv.) From the main entrance of St. Nicholas Russian Church (Св. Николай; Sv. Nikolai) a path veering to the left leads to the crypt, the last resting place of the popular former head of the Russian church in Bulgaria, Archibishop Serafim. The Russian Orthodox come here to write prayers. (On bul. Tsar Osvoboditel near pl. Sveta Nedelya. Open daily 8am-6:30pm. Liturgy W-Su 9am, W also 5pm, Sa also 5:30pm. Free.)

Synagogue Of Sofia (Софийска Синагога; Sofiyska Sinagoga) . Sofia’s only synagogue boasts a vast interior decorated with a star-spangled dome, marble columns, and the largest chandelier in Bulgaria. Recent renovations repaired damage done by a stray Allied bomb from WWII, which miraculously didn’t explode. A museum upstairs outlines the history of Jews in Bulgaria. (Ekzarkh Yosif 16, ☎02 983 5085; www.sophiasynagogue.com. English-language captions. Open daily 8:30am-4pm. Services daily 8am, also Sa 10am. Museum open M-F 8:30am-12:30pm, 1-3:30pm. Museum 2lv, students 1lv. Synagogue 2lv/1lv; includes English-language pamphlet.)

Banya Boshi Mosque (Баня Боши) . Constructed in 1576 during the Ottoman occupation, this mosque escaped the fate suffered by the 26 other mosques in Sofia, which were shut down or destroyed during the communist era. The red brick building with minaret still intact has a sumptuous interior of red- and blue- floral tiled walls and a ceiling inscribed in golden calligraphy. (Across from Central Hall, on Mariya Luiza (Мария Луиза). Open daily 3:30am-11:30pm. Entrance is free, but tourists are only allowed to enter only when prayer is not underway. Shoe removal required at door. Females must wear the provided hooded robe to cover knees, shoulders, and head.)

Entertainment And Nightlife

Sofia’s week-long Beer Fest takes place in late summer. Each night, different bands light up the crowd with traditional Bulgarian music, as well as pop and jazz. Fish and chips (1.50lv) complement beer (0.80lv). The event takes place in Alexander Batemberg. Theaters line Rakovski (аковски). From the town center, a left on Rakovski leads to the National Opera and Ballet (Национална Опера и Балет; Natsionalna Opera i Balet), Vrabcha 1. (Враба; ☎02 987 1366; www.operasofia.com. Performances most days 6 or 7pm. Box office open M-F 9:30am-6:30pm, Sa-Su 10:30-6pm. Closed July-Aug. Tickets 5-15lv. Cash only.)

At night, Sofians fill the outdoor bars along bulevard Vitosha (Витоша) and the cafes around the National Palace of Culture. For the younger set, nightlife centers on Sofia University, at the intersection of Vasil Levski (Васил Левски) and Tsar Osvoboditel (Цар Освободител). T Apartment, Neofit Rilski 68 (Неофит илски), is a relaxed hangout that achieves effortless artsiness. A DJ table remains open to daring guests. (☎08 86 65 50 93; www.apartment.org. Foreign films most nights at 10:30pm. Free Wi-Fi. Fresh squeezed juice 3lv. Beer from 1.50lv. No cover. Open daily noon-2am. Cash only.)

Daytrips From Sofia

TRila Monastery. Holy Ivan of Rila built the 10th-century Rila Monastery (илски Манастир; Rilski Manastir)—the largest and most famous in Bulgaria— as a refuge from worldly temptation. The Nativity Church is decorated with 1200 brilliantly colored frescoes. Modest clothing is necessary, especially for women. (Monastery open daily approximately 7am-9pm.) The museum in the monastery houses an intricate   wooden cross that took 12 years to carve (with a needle) and left its creator, the monk Rafail, blind. (Open daily 8:15am-4pm. 8lv, students 4lv. English lecture 20lv.) Signs throughout the monastery show hiking routes in nearby Rila National Park; Cyrillic/English maps of the paths (7lv) are sold in the Manastirski Padarutsi (Манастирски Падаръци) shop.

Inquire at room #170 in the monastery about staying in a spartan but heated monastic cell Behind the monastery are restaurants, cafes, and a mini-market. To get to the monastery, take tram #5 from pl. Sv. Nedelya to Ovcha Kupel Station (Ова Къпел) and take the bus to Rila Town (2hr., 6:25am and 10:20am, 5lv). From there, catch a bus to the monastery (30min., 3 per day, 1.50lv). A bus goes back from Rila to Sofia at 3pm (7lv).